The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Director: Louis Leterrier
Writer: Screen Story and Screenplay: Zak Penn Marvel Comic Books Characters: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
Cast: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson, Christina Cabot
Genre: Superhero, Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Five years after Hulk, The Incredible Hulk arrived with an almost completely new cast, a new director and a new writer. I miss Jennifer Connelly, as I don't find Liv Tyler manage to give Betty Ross as much, but for the rest I'm very happy with the changes. Norton is better, but still not the perfect, Bruce Banner, Hurt is better as Daddy Ross, the director, writer and CGI people have managed to do a lot better than in the 2003 version and overall this movie manage to be what it has to be to be a complete superhero experience. So far unmentioned, but one of the important reasons, is Tim Roth as the super soldier looking to hunt down Hulk. That's a brilliant character, and something really lacking in Ang Lee's movie.

The drama parts doesn't really manage to get there in this one either, but more importantly the action sequences works well and the new CGI Hulk is this time around all he needs to be. Hulk is still not portrayed great in cinematic history, but this is such a good attempt it works as the popcorn movie it needs to be.

Hulk (2003)

Director: Ang Lee
Writer: Story: James Schamus Screenplay: James Schamus, John Turman, Michael France Marvel Comic Books Characters: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
Cast: Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliott, Josh Lucas, Nick Nolte
Genre: Superhero, Action, Sci-Fi

After watching the miserable Iron Man 2, I was in need to revisit the superhero genre as fast as possible with a more pleasant experience. The choice became a revisit with the two Hulk movies, starting with Ang Lee's 2003 opener Hulk, starring Eric Bana and Jennifer Connelly in the leading roles.

I wasn't in love with the idea of Bana as Hulk, but there's no secret I'm a great admirer of Jennifer Connelly. Connelly delivers here as well, but her character really haven't got that much to act on. Bana opened weakly, but as the movie advances I didn't hate him in this role as much as I feared.

The huge problem about this movie is the weak action sequences, and that's a major problem talking about any superhero movie based on Marvel characters. Another problem is the Hulk character itself as its presented. It doesn't manage to take the screen in the needed way. And finally let's face the drama parts Lee usually is well known for; they don't work well here. The entire beginning of the Hulk story isn't memorable, the father connection isn't either interesting nor exciting and however beautiful and talented Connelly is; Banner and Ms. Ross doesn't manage to elevate to the same level as say Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson.

Iron Man 2 (2010)

Director: Jon Favreau
Writer: Screenplay: Justin Theroux Marvel Comic Books: Stan Lee, Don Heck, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Jon Favreau, Samuel L. Jackson
Genre: Superhero, Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Iron Man 2 is directed by Favreau and the screenplay written by Theroux, and I'm not gonna lie; that made me more than a little skeptic. Both have done well as actors, but after the very good first Iron Man there's little room to step wrong with such inexperienced men taking on a new superhero trying to make a franchise.

Sadly Theroux and Favreau managed to for fill my predictions. Tony Stark isn't close to the charismatic man he was in the original, the dialogue is a lot weaker, the super villain ain't very interesting and the action scenes can't really make up for everything else they lost. I had a blast watching the original (and awarded it with an 8), but here the best I can say about the sequel is this: I'm looking forward to watch Agent Romanoff in the 2012 movie The Avengers. Scarlett Johansson worked really well in that role, the action sequences with her was delicious and that's a character with a lot of potential.

Rockwell is for once forgettable, and I generally admire Rockwell, the same can be said for Cheadle, who I also generally admire but who cannot live up to the work of Terrence Howard in the 2008 original. Downey haven't got the dialogue he needs to shine, Paltrow is equally pale and boring here and while Rourke revived his career with The Wrestler, he's as forgettable as the super villain here as he's been for the past decade.

If Iron Man ever get back into another movie on his own, he'll need a screenwriter who understands why we loved him in the original. He need that charismatic arrogant one-liners, the billionaire flair and he needs a villain who steps up and takes on every scene he's in. They can probably blame the late Heath Ledger for that, but that's what we look for in a super villain these days.